Ball-stop for bowling-alleys.



m4886556. A PATBNTBD MAY'5,1908.

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BALL STOP PORB()WL]1IG- ALLBYS. APPLmATIoN-FILBD In a1. loom.

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WILLIAM W. VEARING, OF `PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA.

BALL-STOP FOR BOWLING-ALLEYS.

' Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented May 5, 1908.

Application filed May 31, 1907. serai No. 376,472.

To all whomit may concern:

Be it known that I, I/VILLIAM W. VEARING, a citizen of the UnitedStates, residing at Philadelphia, in the county of Philadelphia andState of Pennsylvania, have invented certain new and useful Improvementsin Ball-Stops for Bowling-Alleys, of which the following is aspecification.

My invention relates to a ball stop for a bowling-alley, and the obj ectof the invention is to provide a device which is placed upon thereturn-way for the balls, and which will engage the balls andA preventthem from again rolling over the return-way.

My invention generally described consists Vof two levers pivoted in thereturn-way, on`e of which is freely depressed by the ball when the ballis traveling in the proper direction, and when the ball is traveling inthe wrongI direction the said lever will be acted upon by the ball andraise the second lever which is heavier and adapted to stop the progressof the ball.'

Referring to the drawings: Figure 1 is a longitudinal section through abowling-alley, showing the return-way and the ball-rack at the side ofthe alley, with my improved ball stop embodied therein. Fig. 2 is alongitudinal section through the return-way, showing the ball stop insection, and drawn on a larger scale. Fig 3 is a view similar to Fig. 2showing the levers in a different posi-` tion, and Fig. 4 is atransverse section on line 4-4 Fig. 2.

In the drawing 1 represents the surface of the alley, and 2 thereturn-way having the ball-rack 3, to which the balls are returned fromthe lower end of the alley. The balls receive their momentum by beingrolled down an incline formed in the return-way 2. The balls frequentlyfail to travel with sulficient force to cause them to ascend the otherincline 4 at the end of the return-way where the ball-rack 3 is located.The balls will then roll back and remain on the horizontal portion ofthe return-way, to avoid thismy The operating lever 10 is looselymountedon thesaid shaft 21 and is held in a vertical position by itslower end 25 being made' heavy, to act as a counter-balance. The saidlever 1() stands in the path of the ball as it travels over thereturn-way and when the ball, traveling towards the rack, strikes thelever, the lever will swing freely without retarding the ball.

The stop-lever 12 is loosely pivoted on the shaft 22 and normally liesin a horizontal position between the side plates of the bearing 9, asshown in Fig. 2.

The lower arm 26 of the stop-lever has pivoted therein one end of a rod30. Said arm is of the proper radius to bring the rod 30 against theunder side of the plates 13 and 14 of the bearing 9, which will act as acheck to the movement of the stop-lever 12, so that it cannot fallbeyond the position shown in Fig. 2 or rise above the position shown inFig. 3.

The rod 30 extends beyond lthe operating lever 10 and is pivoted, at itsother end in the free end of the link 31 which is loosely mounted on theshaft 32 secured in the bearing 9.

The operating lever 10 is provided upon its lower end with a curvedportion which acts as a cam and bears against the link 3], when a balltraveling in the wrong direction strikes the operating lever 10 andmoves it in the direction of the arrow, Fig. 3. Then the link 31 is somoved, the rod 30 will act upon the stop-lever 12 and raise it to theposition shown in Fig. 3 which will stop the progress of the ball.

The operating lever and the stop-lever are provided with leather pads 34and 83 to prevent them from injuring the balls.

When the ball is traveling in the right direction it will clear thestop-lever and con tact with the operating lever which will freely swingand allow the ball to )ass without retarding its momentum. hen the ballis traveling in the wrong direction it will contact with the operatinglever and cause the lower end of the same to act on the link,

which, through the medium of the rod, will raise the stop-lever in thepath of the ball so that the ball cannot pass the said stop-lever.

l'laving thus described my invention l claim and desire to secure byLetters Patent.

1. In a device el the character described, the combination of a trackover which balls travel, a lever pivotally mounted in. the path of saidballs, said lever adapted to freely swing to allow said. balls to travelin one diirection and means controlled by said lever to check said ballswhen they travel. in the opposite direction.

2. ln a device of the character described, the combination of a trackover which balls travel, a lever pivetally mounted. in the path of saidballs, and a stop-lever pivotally mounted and adapted to be brought intothe path of said balls by the action of said iirst mentioned lever.

2%. ln a device ol the character described, the combination ol a trackover which balls travel, a lever pivotally mounted in the path ol saidballs, a stop-lever, a rod. connected with said stop-lever, and meanslor engaging said rod to lilt said stop-lever into the path ol" said.balls by the action of said iirst mentioned. lever.

4. In a device of the character described, the combination of a trackover which balls travel, a lever pivotally mounted in the path of saidballs, said lever adapted to swing lree in one direction, a pivoted linkadapted to be engaged by said lever when moved. in the oppositedirection, a stop-lever, and a rod connecting said. link with saidstop-lever to raise said stop-lever into the path of the balls.

5. In a device of the character described, the combination ol a trackover which balls travel, a lever pivotally mounted in the path ol saidballs, said lever' adapted to swing free in one direction, a cam formedon the lower end olE said lever, a link engaged by said cam, astop-lever, and a rod connecting said link with said stop-lever.

6. ln a device of the cliaracter described, the combination ol.' a trackover which balls travel, a lever pivotally mounted in the path of saidballs, said lever having a weighted. counter-balance, a stop-lever, arod con nected with and adapted to raise said. stoplever when acted uponby said Vfirst .mentioned lever.

7. In a device ol the character described, the combination of a bearing,a lever mounted in said bearing, a stop-lever mounted in said bearing,an arm depending from said stop-lever, a rod pivoted in said arm, saidrod adapted to strike the said caring and limit the movement of said.steplever, and. means for connecting said. rod with said first mentionedlever so that said lever when moved in one direction will raise saidstop-lever.

8. In a device of the character described, the combination of areturn-way over which balls travel, a bearing mounted in saidreturn-way, a lever pivotally mounted in said bearing, a stop-levermounted in said bearing, a link pivoted in said. bearing adapted to beacted upon by said first mentioned lever, a rod eoimecting said linkwith said stop-lever adapted to raise the latter into the path of theballs, and pads secured on said levers to protect said balls.

9. In a device of the character deseribrnl, the combination ol areturn-way over which balls travel, a bearing consisting ol two sideplates, a lever pivoted between said side plates, a cam lorn'led on.said lever, a link pivoted. in said side plates adapted to be acted uponby said cam, a stop-lever pivoted between said plates, a depending armon. said stop-lever and a rod connecting said link with said dependingarm on said stop-lever adapted to bear against said side plates el saidbearing to limit the movement ol. said stop-lever.

ln testimony whereof l aliix .my signature in presence of two witnesses.

iVlll'iljlfAh'l. lV. V EAllN tl. lVitnesses M. it. CLEELAND, Janes F.RoYLAN.

